The Problem
Since 2001, Our Mother's Home has provided loving care to
young teenage women and their children in a group foster
care setting, in concert with Florida's Department of
Children and Family Services. The home renders psychosocial,
educational and health care services. OMH nurtures these
women and prepares them for independence until they reach
the age of 18. Then, by law, these young women must leave
foster care. Are they ready? For many, not yet.Our
Approach
Journeys, a new initiative of OMH, provides a critical
transition between foster care and independence. Offering
shared-suite housing with low rent and utilities payments
for these young women and their children. OMH sponsors
programs which focus on completion of education and
training, job searches and workplace success, financial
planning, child care, and real-world problem-solving.
Individual counseling is always available and encouraged. Be Part of the Journey
Please call Marlyn at Our Mother's Home to make your
donation or make it online.
A Success Story
We have many success stories at
Our Mother's Home, here is just one:Florinda and Mauricio
certainly had the deck stacked against them. Florinda
conceived Mauricio against her will. At his birth he was
placed with foster parents and Florinda in a group foster
home, as is so often the case, there were no foster homes
available that could take a young mother and her child
together.
Florinda got her first break when her very tenacious
caseworker worked diligently to find a placement that would
reunite mother and son. Fortunately, he found Our Mother's
Home and in July 2002 after being separated for four months,
they were reunited.
Florinda spoke no English, just her Guatemalan dialect of
Kechi and had very little formal education. When Florinda
graduated from Our Mother's Home in July 2006 on her 18th
birthday, she was fluent in English and Spanish and just a
year away from graduating high school.
At this point it would have been so easy for Florinda to
stumble. Not yet out of high school but having to be totally
independent, and with a young child. Once again Florinda saw
good fortune. An ex-Board president of Our Mother's Home,
Mike Conley and his wife LuAnn, graciously offered her
accommodation at their home while she completed high school.
This Spring saw Florinda pass the FCAT and fulfill her
long held dream to graduate. Florinda now has her own
apartment, a driver's license and a scholarship to attend
Edison College this Fall. Mauricio will be starting
kindergarten. Florinda's journey has been fraught with
challenges but she has risen to them all. She is truly a
shining star. |
 Crystal had no parents that she can
remember. Now she is one.
And, she is almost 18.
Lisa
has never known how old she is. But she had a baby recently,
conceived against her will.
Elizabeth's own parents were crackheads. Now 18, she is
dedicated
to giving her child a good life. |
